Additional duties mean two raises for levee district police chief

East Jefferson Levee District Police Chief Robert Garner, who recently received a 7 percent pay raise to add oversight of the Orleans Levee District Police Department to his duties, is entitled to another 3 percent increase, at least for the time being, according to the state Civil Service Commission. The seven-member panel voted 4-3 at its recent meeting to grant the additional raise as long as Garner serves as the supervisor of the Orleans Levee police. The force has been without a permanent chief since last summer.

If he relinquishes command of the Orleans levee police, Garner's pay will be reduced by the 3 percent, said Jean Jones, the commission's deputy director.

The commission's staff recommend against granting the additional 3 percent raise, telling the board that the East Jefferson Levee District granted Garner the 7 percent pay raise to "assist in the administration" of the Orleans levee police force in November.

The boost at the time brought Garner's salary from $69,908.80 a year to $74,796.80, according to Civil Service records. The additional raise approved by the divided panel last week will raise his pay to oversee both police departments to $77,043.20, according to Byron Decoteau, the commissions staff chief compensation officer.

"If they are asking for it, they (levee district officials) should at least show up (in person) to ask for it," said commission member Kenneth Polite of New Orleans, one of the three votes against the additional pay increase.

The Civil Service staff said that since the duties Garner will be providing to the Orleans district are equivalent to the duties he has with the East Jefferson district, the 7 percent raise should be sufficient. "Further, Mr. Garner will only be performing the OLD (Orleans Levee District) duties on a part-time basis," a staff analysis said.

But some commission members said that Garner's job overseeing two levee police departments is similar to a job of "regional warden" in the state prison system, where one warden is placed in charge of more than one prison in an area.

The commission has said as long as the wardens oversee more than one institution they are paid extra; when they revert to running one prison, their pay is reduced to the previous salary.

The 7 percent pay raise is permanent and did not need commission approval, because the East Jefferson Levee District has that authority, Jones said.

The Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East, the agency that oversees the two police forces, in November approved an agreement between the two levee districts to allow Garner to remain chief of the East Jefferson levee police and "assist in the administration" of the Orleans levee police on a part-time basis.

Fran Campbell, executive director of the East Jefferson District, said that the agency's police force has 20 officers and the Orleans levee police force has 24.

In a letter to state Civil Service Director Shannon Templet, Campbell said by taking on the Orleans Levee District police, Garner's "command responsibilities have significantly increased" by adding 110 linear miles to his authority in New Orleans and keeping the 40-mile East Jefferson footprint.

Campbell said the Orleans levee police also have concurrent jurisdiction with the New Orleans Police Department and assist them with calls.